How to Make Jian Dui, Your Favorite Chinese Dim Sum Sesame Balls

Jian dui are a staple Chinese pastry found across the world. They’re made with glutinous rice flour, typically filled with a sweet paste, rolled in sesame seeds, and then fried until golden-brown. One could describe them as a filled, sesame-crusted mochi doughnut: They’re crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Jian dui are not only delicious but also have great meaning behind them. They’re served during holidays as they signify prosperity with their spherical shape and golden color. You will find jian dui at Lunar New Year celebrations, birthdays, and weddings to wish people good luck.

While jian dui are most commonly found at dim sum parlors and bakeries, my fondness for them comes from neither place. My earliest memories are from after-school time at Bo Bo May’s house, where she would make jian dui from scratch, mostly filled with red bean paste, but some of them savory or, special just for me, plain — crispy, round, and empty on the inside, the ultimate crunchy and chewy experience.

The most popular fillings are lotus seed paste or red bean, but other common fillings include black sesame, peanut paste, and mung bean. Bo Bo May’s kitchen was the only place I ever had a savory jian dui. She filled hers with diced lap cheung (Chinese sausage), shiitake mushrooms, green onions, and preserved daikon. It wasn’t until years later, when I was helping open a Chinese restaurant, that I would come across another savory filling. The chef had sesame balls on the menu as an appetizer filled with a mixture of diced vegetables.

This fluctuation from sweet to savory got me thinking: What else can we put inside this dough? The master dough recipe here was taught to me by pastry chef Clarice Lam when she created her signature Nutella mochi bomboloncini: jian dui filled with Nutella and coated with sesame, hazelnuts, and sugar. My filling, a classic combination of guava and cheese, comes from a Chino Latino popup I did in Miami. Of course, this dough can be used however you want. You can fill it with nothing, be creative and make it fit the occasion, or go traditional with lotus seed paste or red bean paste, which can be purchased pre-made from an Asian grocery store. Outside of Lunar New Year, if you want more color, mix white sesame seeds with black sesame seeds.

For some festive plating, especially during Lunar New Year, find red and/or gold cupcake liners. The 1.5” x 1” cupcake liner works best for this size of jian dui.

Are glutinous rice flour and rice flour the same thing?

While both are made from rice, glutinous rice flour and regular rice flour are not the same thing. When hydrated, glutinous rice flour becomes sticky and creates products with a chewy texture. Regular rice flour acts more similar to wheat flour and creates products with a cakier texture. 

How much red bean paste should I use?

If you choose to use traditional red bean paste instead of the cream cheese filling, you’ll need 10 tablespoons, or about 6 ounces of red bean paste. Skip Step 1 and go straight to Step 2 in the instructions.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

A trick to coating the jian dui is to dip the ball in the water, shake off any excess water, and drop the wet dough ball into the bowl of sesame seeds, all using one hand. Then use the other hand to roll the dough ball in the bowl of sesame seeds. This method will ensure one hand is always dry so you can work on the next sesame ball neatly.

Make ahead

These are best eaten fresh or on the day they are fried. A properly made sesame ball should retain its round shape and even stay slightly crunchy after cooling. In the following days, the jian dui can get a little soft.